Mercy
by Red Blaze 16
Summary: AU Pre-ESB. Darth Vader finds an injured Luke in a mostly abandoned Rebel base. One-Shot.


_**AUTHOR'S NOTE: I**_ _ **LOVE**_ _ **Star Wars, but this is my first story. Mostly an AU story, though I do draw from the Star Wars comics, specifically Vol 1 (2015) Skywalker Strikes, Darth Vader Vol 1 (2015) Vader and Vol 2 (2016) Shadows and Secrets.**_

 **Disclaimer – I don't own Star Wars**

Mercy

By Red Blaze 16

The ground shuddered. The Empire had found them. While the Rebels had been planning to leave their current base for their new one on Hoth, they had thought they would have more time. Instead, three Star Destroyers and Vader's Super Star Destroyer had shown up when the base was half evacuated. While being bombarded from above, the remaining soldiers ran for the ships. Most of the equipment had already been loaded. What wasn't loaded would be left behind.

 _Imperial troops have entered the base! Imperial troops have entered the base!_

The final warning echoed through the mostly empty base. The bombardments had stopped. Most likely because the ships from above didn't want to take out their own men. The siren, which had started as soon as the ships had been discovered in orbit, cut out also. The base was mostly silent.

Slowly, two men walked down the hall. A dark haired older man, gray at the temples, had his left arm wrapped around the younger, blond haired man. The younger man was injured, having been caught in a cave in, caused by one of the shots that came down from the ships above. While the older man knew that to stay and help could mean that both would be found, he couldn't turn his back on this man. The pilot who destroyed the Death Star deserved a better end than to die in a cave in.

Luke groaned with every step. His right arm was on the shoulder of the older man. The man's right hand held his wrist to keep it there, while his left arm was wrapped around Luke's back. Luke's left hand was pressed into his right side. A piece of shrapnel had impaled Luke in his side. Blood slowly leaked from the wound.

"Stay with me," the man kept saying.

Luke knew he wasn't talking about physically. "I'm slowing you down." Besides the injury to his side, Luke couldn't put his full weight on his right ankle. The younger man wasn't sure whether the ankle was broken or just badly bruised.

"We're almost to the ships," he replied.

"You should go on without me," said Luke. "You still have time to make it."

Every few moments, Luke had told him the same thing or some variation. At first, the older Rebel had replied. He'd say that they'll make it. Or that he wasn't going to leave the younger man. Now, the older man just ignored the statements.

"What's your name?" asked Luke.

"Dimitri," replied the older man.

"I'm..."

"I know who you are, Luke," replied Dimitri.

They took two more steps before a shiver rolled down Luke's back. He didn't have much experience with the feeling, but he recognized what it meant.

"We're not going to make it," whispered Luke.

Dimitri looked at Luke, but the sound of rhythmic breathing drew both of their attentions to the end of the hall. At the juncture, between the hall the two Rebels were in and another hall, was Darth Vader, the Dark Lord of Sith. For a moment, no one said anything.

Slowly, Luke took his arm down from around Dimitri's shoulder and placed it on the hilt of his lightsaber. His father's lightsaber. The younger man shifted, so his good leg took all his weight.

"Leave," said Luke. His voice was calm. The younger man glanced at Dimitri.

Dimitri shook his head. The older man glanced between the Commander of the Imperial Navy and the Hero of Yavin. It went against everything in him to leave an injured man behind. Injured, Luke wouldn't survive a confrontation with Vader.

"Go," said Luke.

The younger man put the lightest push into his voice, using the Force to influence the older man. The older man hesitated. Luke wasn't sure he had the strength to give the older man a stronger command. But before Luke could open his mouth to try again, Dimitri left Luke's side and rushed away in the direction that they had just come from.

While Luke was focused on the man at his side, Darth Vader was completed focused on the young Jedi. The boy was dressed in a tan pants and jacket. Against the light clothes, it was obvious that he was injured. The blood had soaked through Luke's jacket and it slowly spread down his side. Through the Dark Lord's mask, all he saw was different shades of red. But, with the shard of metal in Luke's side, Vader knew that the darker red was blood. Vader was honestly surprised that the boy was standing.

Luke took the lightsaber off his belt and ignited his weapon. The only sounds were the fading footsteps from Dimitri, the hum from Luke's blade, and Vader's breathing. The younger man knew he had no chance of defeating Vader. The Dark Lord had easily bested him on Cymoon 1 and Luke hadn't been injured then.

Vader made no attempt to draw his lightsaber. While the bleeding injury was the most obvious, the Dark Lord had also noticed that Luke wasn't putting any weight on his right leg. The boy's ability to defend was seriously compromised, let alone attack.

"What are you waiting for?" demanded Luke. The hero wasn't going to beg. Though he was barely standing, he would die standing. Mostly, Luke was hoping to buy Dimitri enough time to get away. It would take little effort on Vader's part to kill him.

"I don't need my blade to defeat you," rumbled Vader.

Slowly, Vader raised his right hand. Luke had heard the stories of how Vader would choke his officer's to death. But instead of feeling a hand wrap around his throat, Luke could feel something similar to a push against his mind. A command to relax. To close his eyes.

 _Rest, Luke._

A voice he didn't recognize echoed in his head. Luke attempted to shake it off, but the sensation grew stronger. His eyes grew heavy. Luke blinked rapidly.

 _Sleep._

Just as the blanket of sleep covered him, Luke's final thought was that he would never wake up again. Instead of dying on his feet, it would be when he was laying at the feet of his enemy.

…...

As soon as Luke slipped into unconsciousness, Vader used the Force to catch the boy and slowly lower him to the ground. The lightsaber, which had shut off the moment Luke's hand relaxed, hit the floor. Vader walked over to the boy and used the Force to pick up the blue bladed lightsaber. Almost absentmindedly, Vader attached the weapon to his belt as he stared down at the younger man.

Vader raised his right hand and slowly Luke lifted into the air. The thought of picking up the young Jedi physically had crossed the Sith Lord's mind, but Vader didn't want to take the chance of jarring the object in Luke's side. Vader thought about removing the piece of metal, but a warning came clearly through the Force. Removing it would cause more harm. Removing the object would cause Luke to bleed out and die.

Having no interest in pursing the Rebel that had been with Luke, Vader turned back and, using the Force, floated the boy in front of him as he made his ways back to the shuttle.

…...

Luke opened his eyes slowly. Confused, he looked around. The hero hadn't expected to open his eyes ever again when he had collapsed in front of Vader. Opening his eyes and finding out that he was alive had been a surprise. What shocked the young man more was that he hadn't woken in a cell. Instead, Luke found himself in a bed in a small private room.

Shifting on the bed, he felt straps tug at his wrists. Luke glanced down the bed. With the exception of his right foot, which was in a sling and elevated, his wrists and other leg were restrained to the bed he was in. If Luke had had any thought that some remaining Rebels had saved him, at the sight of being restrained, Luke knew it was a false hope.

Then again, Luke glanced down at his side and saw that the injury on his side had been treated and a clean bandage was wrapped around his middle. Luke was no longer in his tan pants and jacket. Bare from the waist up, Luke found that the only clothes on his body were a pair of loose fitting white pants. The Imperials were not known for treating Rebels with this level of care. So, was Luke a prisoner?

But what if it wasn't Rebels or Imperials? Maybe Vader had left him for dead and a third party had found him? Luke did have a price on his head, though it was for alive only. Had a bounty hunter found him? Could someone be trying to heal him, so they can sell him to the Imperials and collect the reward? If it was bounty hunters, then it was a high class version. The room looked expensive, even though there wasn't much in it.

…...

Staring out the viewport, Vader knew the moment Luke gained consciousness. For over twenty years, all Vader had known was darkness. Having Luke so close, even injured, was like a bright light through all his darkness. The Dark Lord turned his focus to Luke and reached out slowly. He could feel the boy's confusion. A moment after reaching out, Vader knew Luke had sensed him. The light that was Luke jumped and shied away from Vader's touch.

Vader turned away from the viewport and left the Bridge of the Executor.

…...

Luke gasped. He had never thought of fire as cold, but that's how it felt. With the exception of the Death Star and Cymoon 1, Luke was rarely near enough to Darth Vader to touch him through the Force. Then again, Luke had no interest in doing it either. To feel the Dark Lord of Sith touch him was a shock. Luke also had his answer. He was an Imperial prisoner.

Luke's attention quickly shifted as the door to his room slid open. A older, gray haired, man, wearing the clothes of an Imperial medic, entered the room. He was looking at a data pad and had walked a few feet into the room before looking up and noticing that Luke was awake.

"How do you feel?" asked the medic. His tone was neutral. His hand posed over the data pad, ready to put in more information.

"Where am I?" demanded Luke.

"I'm here to assess your injuries," replied the other man sharply. "Does your side or ankle bother you?"

Luke took a moment to self-assess before answering. "No. Why was I treated?"

The medic didn't reply. He stepped up to the bed and glanced down at Luke's side. Luke realized the medic was checking him for recent bleeding. Fresh blood against the white bandage would be as obvious as it had been against Luke's jacket. Luke looked again at his side, but only saw a clean wrap.

 _Maybe they want to make sure I can survive interrogation,_ thought Luke. The thought did not comfort him. Luke almost wished Vader had cut him down in the hall of the Rebel base. Leia had told him about what she had gone through on the Death Star. Luke could only hope that he would hold out like she did.

The medic made another note on the data pad and then turned toward the door.

"Wait!" Though the man did not turn to look at Luke, the Rebel knew he had the medic's attention. "Why was I treated?"

"Because Lord Vader ordered it," replied the medic and then left the room.

As the door shut, the medic glanced up and stopped suddenly. While he was used to the two Stormtroopers outside the Rebel's door, he wasn't used to seeing Lord Vader in the Medical Wing. On the rare occasions that Lord Vader needed medical attention, he used a droid.

When the Dark Lord had originally brought the Rebel to the Medical Wing, the medic had been confused. Normally, prisoners weren't brought to the Medical Wing. If treatment was needed, so the prisoner could survive long enough to be questioned, the medic went to the cell block. And when Lord Vader had ordered that the boy be given the highest quality medical attention available on Executor? There was only one thing to assume. The Rebel was a valuable double agent. It was the only thing that made any sense.

"M..my Lord?" asked the medic.

"Status?" demanded the Dark Lord.

Since no one had confirmed his belief that the boy was a double agent, he continued to refer to him as a Rebel. He did not want to be caught in a situation of knowing too much information. That tended to have bad and permanent consequences to ones health.

"The Rebel is awake. No signs of fresh bleeding from the injury to his side. His ankle is elevated. The muscles show signs of moderate bruising."

Vader glanced toward the door. He was tempted to go to the door and enter the room. _Luke is here._ The thought repeatedly echoed in Vader's mind. Ever since Boba Fett brought him the name and Doctor Aphra confirmed that _she_ had given birth, Vader wondered what this moment would be like.

His son was here! With him! When Vader had turned down the hallway at the Rebel base and saw Luke with that other Rebel, Vader had wondered if the Force was playing a trick on him. It wasn't until Luke had looked at him that Vader knew his son was really there. The Force had delivered him to his father.

So focused on the door and the occupant in the room, Vader also saw the images playing through Luke's head. His son would need lessons on shielding before he would bring Luke to the Emperor.

 **The Empire had found them! Pain! The weight had him pinned to the floor. Luke struggled to breath. His ankle throbbed.**

 **"Hold on!" a male voice.**

 **"I'm trapped." His side hurt terribly. The pain made him nauseous.**

 **The rubble shifted and Luke could see light. A face slipped into the light. An older man with dark hair.**

 **"You've got to get out of here!" Luke demanded. Luke couldn't hear the sounds of bombardment, which could only mean one thing. Imperial troops were about to enter the base.**

 **"I don't leave a man behind," replied the Rebel**

 **More rubble shifted. It felt like an eternity. Finally the last of the rubble was moved and Luke shifted. Shooting pain shot up his right leg.**

" **Can you walk?" asked the older man.**

" **My ankle," replied Luke. He shook his head.**

 **"Let me help you," he replied. Slowly, they made their way away from the cave in.**

The Rebel that Vader had seen helping Luke down the hall had saved Luke. While Vader was sure he would have eventually found Luke, he wasn't sure whether Luke would have been able to be saved. While the Force had provide him Luke in the hallway, it had almost snatched him away.

Vader turned and left the medical area. "The boy stays here. No transferring." The Dark Lord of Sith didn't wait for a response.

…...

When Lord Vader left the Bridge, Admiral Kendal Ozzel decided it was safe to no longer have to hide his contempt. While Ozzel fully believed that destroying the Rebels was important, he didn't see why one Rebel required so much Imperial attention.

"Admiral?"

With a sigh, Ozzel turned and looked at Captain Firmus Piett. "Yes?"

Piett handed a data pad to the Admiral. "Other than the Rebel, who is currently in the Medical Wing, we were able to capture ten additional Rebels, sir."

"Only ten?" Ozzel barely glanced at the report before he handed it back to Piett. "We should have been able to fill our cell blocks with the scum."

Ozzel turned his attention back to the viewport. He continued to think about the one Rebel in the Medical Wing. Lord Vader had been very interested in Skywalker. They had spent countless hours searching for the boy. Many times, it crossed Ozzel's mind to wonder why the boy was so important.

Ozzel knew that the boy was also the Rebel who murdered the Imperials, by destroying the Death Star, in the Yavin System. The boy should have a very public and painful execution. Ozzel was also aware that Lord Vader wanted the boy alive, which seemed odd. Wouldn't a dead Rebel, by any means, be better than wasting all this time?

"Where is Lord Vader?" asked Ozzel.

"He's left the Medical Wing and returned to his private chambers," replied a low ranking officer.

Ozzel nodded his head. His attention had stayed on the viewport. The officer didn't deserve the Admiral's attention. _Would the boy know why?_ The thought crossed Ozzel's mind.

"Captain, you have the Bridge until I return."

Ozzel made his way from the Bridge to the Medical Wing. It didn't take the older man long before he reached the Medical area and entered the room. A medic worked away at his station, though the man glanced up when Ozzel entered.

"Admiral?" the medic stood up.

"Status on the Rebel?" demanded Ozzel.

"His injuries were treated and he currently rests in a private room, sir" replied the medic. He waved toward the door that still had two Stormtroopers standing outside.

"Why?" demanded Ozzel. The Rebel's injuries were treated! The Rebel should be in a prison cell, not relaxing in a comfortable bed! "Why hasn't he been transferred to the cell block?"

"Lord Vader ordered him to stay here," replied the medic.

With a sigh of disgust, Ozzel turned toward the private door. A Rebel shouldn't be receiving medical treatment! It was unheard of! The Stormtroopers stepped aside and Ozzel entered. His outrage grew when he saw that the boy was resting comfortably in a bed.

Luke glanced up when the door opened. A older man, who bore the rank of Admiral, walked into the room. With how quickly Vader was reportedly going through Admirals, Luke wasn't sure which Admiral this man was.

"You have cost the Empire a lot of time and money, boy," said the Admiral.

Luke didn't need the Force to know that this man wasn't happy.

"Why is Lord Vader so interested in you?" demanded the Imperial.

Luke had never been completely sure on why Vader stalked him. Because he was training to become a Jedi? Because he was a Rebel? Because he was the pilot who destroyed the Death Star? Because he was the son of Anakin Skywalker?

"Ask him yourself," replied Luke.

Not willing to let the boy's cheek stand, Ozzel quickly crossed the room. With a closed fist, Ozzel backhanded the Rebel across the face. While his face hurt, Luke was more shocked at the reaction he had felt through the Force. While Vader's cold flame had burned quietly in his mind, it burst with sudden energy. Vader's rage echoed in the Force.

Ozzel stepped back and glanced at the Rebel's ankle. Ozzel placed a cautious hand on the wrapped ankle and squeezed. While Luke kept himself from shouting out, he couldn't keep the flinch from his face.

"You're a no one," continued Ozzel. The Admiral had noted the reaction on the Rebel's face. "Not worthy of Imperial attention. Yet Lord Vader hunts you. You must know why."

Ozzel squeezed the ankle a little harder. Luke groaned. The young man wanted to fight back, but with his leg and wrists restrained, he couldn't even move, let alone fight back. The thought crossed his mind to use the Force, but he couldn't focus.

"Lord Vader orders you treated medically and places you in a private medical room, rather than let you rot in a cell like the Rebel scum you are."

Ozzel applied more pressure to the ankle.

"I don't know," gasped Luke.

"I don't believe you," said Ozzel, as he released the ankle.

The Admiral walked away from the bed and examined the counter where medical tools are normally kept. When the order had come to keep the boy in this room, the medic had, apparently, cleared out anything that the Rebel could have used as a weapon. Not finding anything that would be helpful, Ozzel turned back to Luke. Just as he stepped up to the bed, the door slid open. Lord Vader entered the room.

Ozzel flew across the room and slammed into the wall. Pain radiated from his back and down his limbs. Pinned to the wall with an unseen hand, Ozzel could feel another unseen hand tighten around his throat.

"He is mine," growled Lord Vader, as he crushed the throat of Admiral Ozzel.

The execution wasn't like previous officers. Traditionally, Vader would tighten his grip enough to cut off their air and slowly the officer would die. Not this time. Vader used the Force to completely crushed Ozzel's larynx.

As soon as death took Ozzel, Vader released the body and it crashed to the ground. The Dark Lord of Sith then turned his attention to Luke. Vader could sense the pain Luke was feeling. Vader's anger was renewed. How dare Ozzel touch his son! Vader wanted to kill the man again!

 _I'm next! I'm sorry, Father. I failed._

Luke's unspoken voice echoed in Vader's mind. The Dark Lord of Sith drew back. Fear was a useful tool, but it wasn't something Vader wanted between himself and his son. A son who didn't even know his father had just saved him from whatever else Ozzel had intended.

 **You killed my father!** Luke had shouted those words at him on Cymoon 1. No doubt, some lie Obi-Wan had told him. The boy believed his father was dead. With so much uncontrolled rage flowing through Vader, now was not the time to tell Luke the truth. Luke had been kept from him and lied to all his life. That knowledge alone made Vader's anger expand. He would wait to tell Luke when the boy was healed.

Vader turned and exited the room. The door slid shut behind him. The two Stormtroopers were shaking. They knew Lord Vader had just killed Admiral Ozzel and it wouldn't take much to turn his attention on them. The medic was also trying not to draw the attention of the Dark Lord.

"Medic, see to the boy," Vader growled before he exited the Medical Wing.

…...

Lord Vader made his way to his private chamber. Upon reaching it, he contacted the Bridge. Captain Piett answer.

"Report...Admiral."

Piett nodded. He had already heard the report from the Medical Wing and knew that Admiral Ozzel was dead.

"We were able to catch ten Rebels, in addition to the one in the Medical Wing, my Lord," replied Piett. "We are now underway to our original heading of Mustafar."

"Send information regarding the Rebels to my private chamber," replied Vader.

Vader then terminated the communication with the Bridge. A moment later, a beep sounded and Vader looked at the information on the Rebels. While Luke was his priority, Vader knew questioning Rebels would sooth his anger. The jolt of sharp pain that had shouted into the Force had enraged Vader. Knowing that someone had put their hands on his son wasn't something the man would tolerate. Now that the threat was handled, Vader needed to bank his anger.

Vader quickly glanced through the files and then brought up the images of each cell that contained a Rebel. It wasn't until Vader got to the last cell that he stopped. The dark haired Rebel in that cell looked familiar and it was a moment before Vader recognized him. It was the Rebel that had been in the hall with Luke. The same man who had saved his son from the cave in.

" **I don't leave a man behind."**

Vader left his private chambers and made his way to the cell block that contained the Rebels. The scene he saw in Luke's mind played through his own.

" **Let me help you."**

The elevator opened and Vader stepped out into the cell block's command room. A lieutenant, barely older than Luke, stood up.

"My...my Lord?"

"The prisoner in cell 1680."

"Of course, my Lord," he replied. He quickly scanned the log and noted where the cell was located. "He is down that wing." The man pointed to the left.

Vader walked away from the lieutenant and down the hallway. He stopped outside cell door. He banished Luke's memory from his mind. A second later,Vader stepped forward and the door slid open.

Dimitri had been seated on what passed for the bed in the room. His back had been facing the door. When he heard the door open, he started to turn and stand, but never made it. The crack of his neck snapping echoed loudly. The body hit the ground.

Vader stood in the doorway and looked at the body. The man had saved his son and Vader provided him a quick death as his reward. No drugs. No pain. No screams. No hours of torture. This man would not be questioned about the knowledge he had. He would never have to scream out all the secrets he knew. His soul wouldn't be broken. The other nine prisoners wouldn't be as lucky.

The galaxy knew Vader was a man without mercy, especially for Rebels. But for the Rebel who saved his son? Vader provided him with the only mercy he could.

TBC...


End file.
